On Tuesday February 2th, hundreds of thousands of people come to the Uruguayan coasts Yemanjá to worship the goddess of the sea. With candy, fruit, perfume and honey, umbandistas and curious attract the blessings of the most famous orixá. 500,000 people in Uruguay, approximately, will mobilize around the celebration in this special day that changes the face of our coastline. There will be changes in traffic on the Rambla de Montevideo during the day.

Yemanjá is an African orixá from Umbanda religion, represents the strength of sea water. Yemanjá Ogum, born in the river in Nigeria, moved across the seas to America and gave his younger sister Oxum, care of the freshwater seas. It is a very important goddess, it represents motherhood and childbearing. When a child is born is tended by Oxum, and will not be cared for by Yemanjá until the power of speech is developed. The fishermen greet the goddess when they enter her kingdom, they kiss their hands and rub them into the water.

The cult of February 2 is a true celebration on the seafront, where there is music, candles light that are placed in wells made in the sands, and classic boats that enter the sea. Afroumbandista people promote the realization of boats with non-aggressive elements to the environment, like rushes or reeds, while traveling in them into the sea there are the most varied objects.

With natural coquetry of a woman Yemanjá appreciates creams, perfumes, jewelry and every element of beauty. A very common way of asking wishes is to write them on soap and throw it into the sea. In addition, offerings of the goddess favorite foods like fruits, honey, trodden corn, coconut, watermelon, white grapes, and peaches. Also common are light-colored flowers, champagne and mineral water.

But regardless the ritual, the goddess only grants what she understands appropriate to keep on good path.

At 21:30, Mayor Ricardo Ehrlich will attend the celebration, which was declared of Municipal Interest. The township will also have a diversion of traffic and parking changes, so the day passed without incident.

(www.montevideo.com.uy, 2 February 2010)